Mapeamento e melhoria de processos sob a ótica do lean production: caso do setor de logística de uma empresa de itens médicos

Abstract

This study investigated the impact and application of Lean Production principles in the logistics sector of a medical items company within the context of private healthcare. The research primarily focused on process mapping strategies to identify inefficiencies and improvement opportunities within the logistics chain. Initially, a detailed literature review on the fundamental concepts of Lean and its applications in the logistics field was conducted. Subsequently, through an action research approach within the selected company, it became possible to analyze the existing processes, highlighting wastages and bottlenecks that compromised operational efficiency. The mapping of logistics processes revealed critical areas in the entry processes of both imported and non-imported items, inventory processing, item returns, and expiration date control. Through this visualization, it was possible to identify waste, unevenness, and overburden within the mapped processes, as well as the types of wastages encountered, in order to devise improvement proposals linked to the utilization of Lean tools such as Kanban and the elimination of non-value-adding steps in the process. Therefore, it is concluded that the application of Lean Production principles in the logistics sector of medical items in the realm of private healthcare not only optimizes processes but also strengthens the company's competitiveness in the market, emphasizing the importance of this approach in striving for operational excellence and continuous improvement.